This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/switzerland-citizenship-rules-referendum-immigrants-anti-muslim-rhetoric-a7576256.html
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Switzerland votes to relax immigration rules in defiance of anti-Muslim rhetoric | Switzerland votes to relax immigration rules in defiance of anti-Muslim rhetoric |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Swiss voters decided Sunday that they want to make it easier for "third-generation foreigners" to get Swiss citizenship. They rejected a complex tax reform initiative aimed at getting Switzerland in line with international standards. | |
The "simplified naturalization of third-generation immigrants" measure passed in a national referendum with 60.4 percent of the votes, Swiss broadcaster SRF reported. It simplifies applications for anyone under 25 whose parents and grandparents have lived in Switzerland for years. | |
The measure gives young people who qualify the same fast-track, simplified access to Swiss citizenship that foreign spouses of Swiss nationals often enjoy. | |
SRF reported that 59.1 percent of voters rejected the tax reform referendum, which would have scrapped a two-track tax system that offers lower rates to foreign firms to lure investment. | |
Experts say the tax initiative's failure means that overall rates are likely to be set higher — which would be a disincentive to companies that bring in jobs and ultimately tax revenues. | |
Many domestic companies, meanwhile, could see their tax rates go down. | |
Critics including regional government leaders and much of the political left had said the initiative would deplete tax coffers for an uncertain payoff. | |
Proponents had countered that the reforms were needed to keep competitive a country that has few exportable natural resources and relies heavily on globalized industries such as finance and pharmaceuticals. | |
The citizenship initiative affects just under 25,000 people, but the long-term implications are far-reaching. Roughly one-fourth of Switzerland's total population of 8.2 million is foreign-born, one of the highest such percentages in Europe. | |
Switzerland, which is not in the 28-nation European Union but is all but surrounded by bloc members, has been taking in foreigners for centuries. | |
As in some other parts of Europe, being born in Switzerland doesn't automatically confer Swiss citizenship. | |
The "third-generation foreigners" initiative strikes at a Europe-wide dilemma about how best to integrate newcomers, but generally involves people from elsewhere in Europe or Turkey whose families have been in the Alpine nation for decades — not migrants and refugees from Africa and the Middle East who have poured into Europe in the last several years, sparking a backlash among many on the political far-right. | |
Sunday's referendum was the latest installment of Switzerland's direct democracy that gives voters a frequent say on political decisions. A third issue on the national ballot involving infrastructure spending passed with 61.9 percent of the votes. | |
Voters in the eastern Graubuenden canton, or region, also decided against a bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics. Four years ago, the region rejected a similar referendum about the 2022 Winter Games, which were eventually awarded to Beijing. | |
Associated Press |